Public Speaking

Professional skills courses
Man with mic talking to an audience

Introduction

Nonetheless of how good you are in presenting, as soon as you step in front of an audience something inside you tends to change. It seems like you’re not completely yourself: your brain is not as quick as you would like it to be, you lack control, are unfocussed at times and/or start to talk faster without pausing. It might even be that you have nerves, moments of panic or black-outs that make presenting into something you’d rather avoid.  

During this four day course we will look into your natural way of doing and try to bring that to the stage, helping you to feel more relaxed and focused when interacting with your audience.  

We will have discussions about presenting and you will get lots of practice in order to develop a toolbox of techniques that will help you to become a better presenter. This course enables you to present yourself as who you are and nothing else, in front of whatever group, with a good feeling, with persuasion and with control. Final result: a presentation everyone will remember. 

Course information

ECTS: 2  
Number of sessions: 4 
Hours per session: 3.5 

Key Facts & Figures

Type
Course
Instruction language
English
Mode of instruction
Offline

What will you achieve?

  • During this 4-day course, you will learn how to reduce your nerves and/or perfect your presenting style using the 4 Focus technique and the Pyramid Principle.
  • You will learn how to use different introduction styles (“Why you should listen to me”).
  • You will learn how to use the Pyramid Principle: content prioritisation and structure logically (optional homework).
  • You will leaen how to design your slides: create slides that function as a springboard for your story (homework).
  • You will learn how to prepare for your presentation: Improve your focus and/or reduce your nerves.
  • You will learn how to use effectively transfer your information: Silence, body placement and posture.
  • You will learn how to interact with your audience: use questions, eye contact, silence and body placement.
  • You will learn how to tell your story with the help of 4 focus points: Audience interaction, slide visualisation, hand visualisation and mind visualisation.

Start dates

Edition 1 (offline)Edition 2 (offline)

Session 1 
November 27 (Wednesday) 2024      
13.30-16.30 hrs
Polak building (campus map), room 3.17

Session 2
December 4 (Wednesday) 2024
13.30-16.30 hrs
Polak building (campus map), room 3.17

Session 3
December 11 (Wednesday) 2024
13.30-16.30 hrs
Polak building (campus map), room 3.17

Session 4
December 18 (Wednesday) 2024
13.30-16.30 hrs
Polak building (campus map), room 3.17

Session 1 
May 16 (Friday) 2025
9.00-12.30 hrs
Van der Goot building (campus map), room M1-09

Session 2
May 23 (Friday) 2025
9.00-12.30 hrs
Polak building (campus map), room 2-09

Session 3 
June 6 (Friday) 2025
9.00-12.30 hrs
Polak building (campus map), room 2-18

Session 4
June 13 (Friday) 2025
9.00-12.30 hrs
Polak building (campus map), room 2-09

Working method

The workshop uses the following formats:   

  • Discussions on the topic of speaking in public;
  • Presentations and physical exercises; 
  • Feedback on public speaking skills and style; 
  • Take-home assignments.

Suitable for

The course is suitable for all PhD candidates. No specific knowledge or experience is required to participate in the course.

Preparatory assignment

In advance of the first course session you will be require to prepare an assignment, which will be forwarded well in advance of the first session. 

Session descriptions

  • Getting control over your stress and gaining focus 

  • Exploring ways to pitch or introduce 

  • Using eye contact to connect with your audience 
     

  • Homework (1-3 hours) 

  • Read about the Pyramid Principle and watch an instructive video (optional) 

  • Fit your information into a logic Pyramid (optional) 

  • Formulate your storyline in the headers of your slides 

  • Silence 

  • Structural hand usage 

  • Adjusting pace to audience 
     

  • Homework (2 hours) 

  • Design your slide lay-out  

  • Add supportive content to the slides

  • Using 4 Focus points: Audience, Slide, Hands, Imagination 

  • Using your body to shift focus 
     

  • Homework (2 hours) 

  • Improve the content of your slides 

  • Design your slides as springboards to the story, paying special attention to the 4 Focus points. 

  • Managing your audience 
  • Body placement to keep the attention 
  • Dealing with interruptions from the audience 

Instructor

  • While studying applied physics at the TU-Delft, Gerben Tuin also practiced the art of theatre. He finished his studies and then decided to become a professional actor. By combining the knowledge he gained in theatre with the world of presenting he developed the 4 Focus technique and the Active Speech framework. His method is not only useful for presenting in front of large groups, but also makes you aware of who you are, as a presenter of yourself and your work in daily life: your self-presentation. Currently Gerben works as an actor, director, (script-)writer and presentation trainer.

Contact

Telephone: +31 10 4082607 (Graduate School)

Facts & Figures

Fee
  • free for PhD candidates of the Graduate School
  • € 575,- for non-members
  • consult our enrolment policy for more information.
Tax
Not applicable
Application deadline
Wednesday 15 Nov 2023

Enrolment for Edition 2 is available form the end of October

Offered by
Erasmus Graduate School of Social Sciences and the Humanities
Course type
Course
Instruction language
English
Mode of instruction
Offline

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